US 12,294,236 B2
Battery management architectures for flow batteries
Chen Li, Fremont, CA (US); Yang Liu, Mountain View, CA (US); and Jonathan Kenzo Kamei, Dublin, CA (US)
Assigned to NEXTRACKER LLC, Fremont, CA (US)
Filed by NEXTRACKER LLC, Fremont, CA (US)
Filed on Aug. 17, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/451,142.
Application 18/451,142 is a continuation of application No. 18/075,317, filed on Dec. 5, 2022, granted, now 11,757,297.
Application 18/075,317 is a continuation of application No. 16/436,710, filed on Jun. 10, 2019, granted, now 11,522,383, issued on Dec. 6, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/682,481, filed on Jun. 8, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2023/0396091 A1, Dec. 7, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H02J 7/00 (2006.01); H01M 4/36 (2006.01); H01M 8/04858 (2016.01); H01M 8/18 (2006.01); H02J 7/04 (2006.01); H02J 7/35 (2006.01); H02S 20/32 (2014.01)
CPC H02J 7/04 (2013.01) [H01M 4/368 (2013.01); H01M 8/04902 (2013.01); H01M 8/188 (2013.01); H02J 7/0068 (2013.01); H02J 7/35 (2013.01); H02S 20/32 (2014.12)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system comprising:
a flow battery;
an inverter configured to convert an AC voltage input to a first DC voltage;
a DC/DC converter coupled to the inverter and configured to step down the first DC voltage to a second DC voltage; and
a battery management controller (BMC) coupled between the DC/DC converter and the flow battery, the BMC including a first power route, a second power route connected in parallel with the first power route, and one or more switches configured to switch between the first power route and the second power route, the BMC configured to use the first power route to charge/discharge the flow battery and use the second power route to initialize the flow battery; wherein
the BMC further comprises a power converter configured to power the BMC when the flow battery is charging and when the flow battery is discharging.